I live at 15th and Race and will often park on Republic or on 15th between Republic and Race and that road is DEFINITELY going to need to be redone when everything is said and done. There are some gigantic potholes and you an tell the road is failing from all that construction equipment. Which is fine. That streetscape needed some help to begin with. Now maybe this will encourage the city to do a full redo of it, especially since so many businesses have moved in along Republic.

 

Speaking of that area, the barriers at 15th and Vine are gone. Hopefully this time for good. They were removed a couple weeks ago. I had heard the developer of The Kruckmeyer wanted them gone before listing their units and that seems like exactly what has happened.

Speaking of that area, the barriers at 15th and Vine are gone. Hopefully this time for good. They were removed a couple weeks ago. I had heard the developer of The Kruckmeyer wanted them gone before listing their units and that seems like exactly what has happened.

 

A month or two ago I was at a Safety Sector meeting and the new head guy on the beat mentioned that his goal was to do less"putting up barriers and just hoping things get better" method of policing and actually focus on doing his job by making arrests.  I sure hope this kind of attitude sinks in with the rank and file officers.

Solving the problems instead of just throwing up literal barriers would be lovely. That Kroger doesn't have as many issues as it once had, especially since a police officer is always (?) on duty so it's harder to deal drugs than it once was.

 

But all they've done is mask their drug dealing with code phrases and deal in Parvis Alley instead. The people out front who ask, "hey you need a ride?" are in reality asking if you want to buy drugs. It sounds innocent if you don't know better, but that's all they're doing. You answer, "yes" and they'll walk you over to Parvis Alley behind The Kruckmeyer and sell you drugs. I'm really hoping with the sudden influx of residents right there when The Kruckmeyer is done and the eventual ground floor business that this practice will stop. Add in the 15th and Vine office building by 3CDC And you don't really have anywhere else to go except north to 15th between Vine and Walnute which I can't see remaining a big vacant spot for much longer.

I also noticed this building had new windows on it, I really love this building.  What architectural style is this?  Looks like a DC rowhouse.

 

To the best of my knowledge this is a late victorian circa 1890 greystone.  It actually looks like a stretched out version of the older ones you find in Chicago and I'm pretty sure though not 100% positive that the stone for both OTR greystones and Chicago ones come from the same Indiana Limestone quarries.

 

Here's the Chicago example:

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/124/408819778_5cac3ce738.jpg

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8934213,-87.6627,3a,75y,175.37h,114.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sg_Uhn-yXShpOGNt4sIwpfw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

 

I can't say what style it is, but I LOVED having that bay window to sit in and how much natural light was in that apartment. Here is my old apartment building in Chicago, definitely a common style up there.

https://www.google.com/maps/@41.8934213,-87.6627,3a,75y,175.37h,114.13t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sg_Uhn-yXShpOGNt4sIwpfw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

 

I can't say what style it is, but I LOVED having that bay window to sit in and how much natural light was in that apartment. Here is my old apartment building in Chicago, definitely a common style up there.

 

You lived in my old neighborhood :).  Also the building density/vintage of Noble Square is about as close as Chicago gets to OTR as far as low rise neighborhoods go.

Good news! Tuckers is reopening at it's Vine St location this July 25th 2016. It will be opening on it's anniversary date.

 

Until then they will have more fundraising opportunities, this time at the St. Francis Seraph school on Liberty St. on Feb 28th from 11am-4pm. (15 dollar suggested donation), which will get you a full plate of Tuckers.

 

https://www.facebook.com/events/224497064562189/

 

They have had a dumpster in front of Wielert's since Monday. Doing some small scale demo/clean-out of interior. Hopefully a good sign of things to come.

I hope 3cdc is lobbying hard behind the scenes for the Liberty Street road diet. They have to realize that it is in line with and vitally important to their goals in every way.

 

Sorry i am not to speed on everything but is the liberty Street narrowing something that is on the table or just a dsire of urbanites on here?  I have a post on here 10 plus years ago about the importance of beautifying imporving Central parkway as gateway to OTR and I feel the same way about Liberty so i am curious about this> I think they did an ok job on central parkway and hopefully they continue to improve it with development of  various empt lots. The medians overall are a big improvement. I think they can make the sidewalks more landscaped and consistent.  Liberty is a disaster right now.

Yes, there have been a handful of meetings with transportation officials seeking input on a reconfigured Liberty and the city recently put out a poll for people to vote on their desired configuration and leave comments on the process.

LesterLyles[/member] - there is a dedicated thread for the proposed Liberty Street project: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,16504.0.html

 

 

The next meeting is on March 1 at the Woodward Theater. It will be the third public meeting on the topic of the Liberty Street project, which they are now calling "safety improvements" rather than a "road diet" (probably so that it can get by the current administration with less controversy). There are several options on the table, ranging from keeping the current width and adding better medians and bump-outs, to narrowing the street significantly. However there is only funding for studying the options right now, not for actually implementing the changes.

New HCB packet is out: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/buildings/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/feb-22-2016-packet/

 

Non-3CDC projects include:

 

222 W. 12th, Queen City Radio Building - Asking for parking variance among other things.

 

1131 Broadway - Catty corner to Nation Bar and Grill. Single story structure to become another restaurant/bar with outdoor seating that abuts Bunker Alley.

 

217 W. 12th - Shakespeare Company building... with renderings.

From the latest HCB packet: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/buildings/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/feb-22-2016-packet/

 

11-25 E. 14th - Mercer IV. 3CDC is proposing changing it from commercial/residential to office building. The packet has new renderings of this infill project that incorporates the historic structure at 11 E. 14th. The original proposed use for this site included residential multi-family with commercial uses, five stories, building setbacks and first floor parking in 41,700 square feet. The proposed amendment is to change the use to exclusively commercial office use without parking, four stories and zero setbacks in 64,000 square feet.

 

It's really ridiculous that the parking code for OTR is still so archaic/suburban that an establishment like Queen City Radio is expected to provide 35 parking spaces (1 parking space for every 150 sq feet)!

New HCB packet is out: http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/buildings/historic-conservation/historic-conservation-board/feb-22-2016-packet/

 

Non-3CDC projects include:

 

222 W. 12th, Queen City Radio Building - Asking for parking variance among other things.

 

1131 Broadway - Catty corner to Nation Bar and Grill. Single story structure to become another restaurant/bar with outdoor seating that abuts Bunker Alley.

 

217 W. 12th - Shakespeare Company building... with renderings.

 

The new bar/restaurant/music venue at 1131 Broadway looks great! It'll be nice to have outdoor seating in a west-facing area. It'll be a really nice spot in the evenings as the sun sets.

I like how this project will maintain Rodney and Boots alleys as usable rights of way. I'm curious if they will be used for vehicular purposes, or just for pedestrians. Either way, it's good to see the project working within the alleyways.

^ The Mercer Street townhomes have garages that are only accessible from the back, so I think those alleys will have to remain open to cars.

I like the design and scale of Mercer IV a lot. It will be nice to have such a large construction on such a narrow street like 14th, as opposed to the wider thoroughfares of Walnut and Vine. Should make that area feel much denser than it currently does.

^Ah, that makes sense. Glad to see the alleys put to use, which means they'll be maintained for a long time.

I LOVE IT.  It's a combo of historic OTR combined with the International style.

WOW they didn't stagger the windows!

To be fair I can honestly only think of one major building in the entire city that has staggered windows (84.51º) and another in the upcoming 15th and Vine building. Hardly enough of a trend to be concerned with. I don't necessarily agree with the reasoning behind it but I appreciate the variety.

I wonder if this is being built spec in conjunction with 15th/Vine or if there is a user in mind.

To be fair I can honestly only think of one major building in the entire city that has staggered windows (84.51º) and another in the upcoming 15th and Vine building. Hardly enough of a trend to be concerned with. I don't necessarily agree with the reasoning behind it but I appreciate the variety.

 

Here

I completely forget about that building...it's so nondescript. I guess there are two then. My point still stands though. Granted I think it would be a bit much if this new office building also had staggered windows since that would be a corridor of wonky windows between the apartment building on Walnut, this office building, and the 15th and Vine project.

There are about 6 or 7 of these staggered window buildings that I know of either planned or being built in Chicago.  It is totally a trend, even to the point where on Streetsblog Chicago there was discussion about how Milwaukee Ave will be known as the staggered windows corridor (and other people were able to even articulate why I don't like it better than I did)...  I would be worried given how much its been embraced in larger cities where the prestigious architecture firms are located:

 

Here are a few with the first one being what I talked about:

http://chi.streetsblog.org/2016/02/16/proposed-development-would-make-the-blue-lines-grand-stop-a-tod-hotspot/

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2015/08/04/new-apartment-tower-xavier-scheduled-to-open-this-fall-embraces-cabrinigreen-name.php

http://chicago.curbed.com/tags/tower-of-pizza-hut

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2016/01/21/western-blue-line-tod-heads-to-plan-commission-for-vote.php

http://chicago.curbed.com/archives/2014/06/12/large-logan-square-development-receives-dramatic-makeover.php

....

 

There are more. :/

^When I said "trend" I didn't mean in the wider architectural sense. There are literally thousands of examples of the staggered window trend going on around the world. I was referencing purely architecture in Cincy. I don't mind trends as long as they aren't overpowering which was my point I was trying to make since there are only a handful examples in the entire city of Cincinnati.

Maybe UC can renovate Turner Hall with some staggered windows...move over W. here comes Jeb!

 

http://www.uc.edu/news/jeffson.htm

Maybe UC can renovate Turner Hall with some staggered windows...move over W. here comes Jeb!

 

http://www.uc.edu/news/jeffson.htm

 

They already did it to Procter Hall.  https://goo.gl/maps/wCcZn4CKLdC2

You read my mind...I thought of that one after I wrote that post!  It was actually a pretty interesting building before that, when it had a mostly "gravel" texture and a non-functional front door that opened toward faced Vine.  Also, there were about a dozen single family homes right on Vine between it and the VA hospital that were all torn down when the Kingsgate Marriott, etc., all went in. 

So apperantly a new Gilpins location is in the works for Main ST in OTR

Whoa - big news from the Ensemble Theater.

 

Ensemble Theatre is ready to stretch its legs

Currently, most people only know of ETC’s distinctive main building at 1127 Vine St. It’s easy to spot, with a façade dominated by four enormous columns, befitting a structure built as The Union Savings & Trust Company Bank in 1904.

 

What most people don’t realize is that ETC also owns the three properties immediately south of the theater. Beginning in May, you’ll see things start to change in that block as ETC reconfigures, rehabs and completely overhauls those three properties, leaving the theater with a splashy, 264-foot front along Vine Street.

http://www.cincinnati.com/story/entertainment/theater/2016/02/19/ensemble-theatre-ready-stretch-its-legs/80524142/

Love it! Don't like the white storefront on the brick building (I know the front looks bad right now). Aside from that, way better infill than the Shakespeare Co. building.

Yeah, it'll certainly activate the space towards downtown, as it's much needed.

Wow, totally left field news. Awesome! I'm really liking the look of that new infill that connects the buildings. This is great news for this stretch of Vine. This block is really surprisingly lifeless despite just a block away being filled with activity. This will help fill that gap and help further bridge OTR and the CBD.

Yeah this looks great!

 

Still don't know what they are thinking on that Shakespeare building.... :/

Is there any public meetings with 3CDC where we can point out that THIS is the type of infill they need to focus on? Seriously, it's awesome. Modern Italianate. Simple, but blends in with the existing fabric so well.

 

I really just want a way to let the head 3cdc officials know that we don't need ultra modernistic bullcrap, with lame and soon to be outdated 21st century designs. Save that for other projects downtown. All we want is simplicity. Give us modern Italianate that has a simple design, yet still eloquent, and supports the existing design principles of the surrounding structures.

 

Again, I'm really starting to think that with 15th and Vine, and now this that 3cdc is finally starting to understand how to create, "proper" infill in OTR.

I read somewhere, without evidence, that 3CDC is making this their new office. Anyone else hear this? I was hoping for a fabulous beer hall...

Hmm. It's definitely possible. Their current building is in a great spot so it wouldn't surprise me if someone wanted that space. With all their upcoming office developments though I'd question why they wouldn't be trying to rent space in those developments first before moving their own headquarters.

I read somewhere, without evidence, that 3CDC is making this their new office. Anyone else hear this? I was hoping for a fabulous beer hall...

 

I haven't heard that and I seriously doubt it. This building wouldn't make for good office space (too small and narrow), and 3CDC just invested a ton in their current office space (at the corner of Walnut and 12th), which is a beautiful space that works very well for their offices.

Yeah I sort of doubt that myself. It lends itself way to much to be simply an office space. Especially with that outdoor beer garden patio they have in the back. It honestly screams Jeff Ruby OTR prime rib & steak house to me.

I think I traced back the rumor of 3CDC to a Facebook post, in which some lady said she asked a construction worker what they were doing, and the worker said something about offices for 3CDC. My guess would be that they are converting the top floor to leasable office space, and that 3CDC is just the developer - so they are working on offices, and it's for 3CDC, but they won't be 3CDC's offices. It doesn't seem like a big enough space for them, but it makes sense to make the second floor office space, if the goal for the first floor is a beer hall or restaurant. No one would want a condo above that.

That's fabulous.  A lot of things to be excited about in Over the Rhine as construction is really ramping up in a lot of different areas.  15th and Vine, Mercer offices, this project, YMCA, Music Hall, Memorial Hall, Model Findlay Project, etc. etc.  Starting 2016 off with a bang.

I'm still waiting for my starbucks, chipotle and H&M

Chipelto is much better ;)

I'm still waiting for my starbucks, chipotle and H&M

 

I don't want any of those in OTR. They can go Downtown or around UC.

I disagree. Over the Rhine is essentially the reason why you visit any European country. You want to see the countries old archecticure. Over the Rhine is the equivelant to that in many respects, and to garner tourists you need things such as a starbucks, h&m, chipotle.

 

Cincinnati urban core fashion retail (and general retail) is seriously pathetic, and lacks so many things that are commonly found in larger cities. Hell, simply having a downtown apple store would be a god send. But my main reason why I argue these retail options should open up in OTR (preferably say a Vine St, or Main ST) is because to me OTR is the NUMBER 1 reason why you would want to visit Cincinnati in the first place. Anything else attraction wise is cream on the top. But to accomadate tourists you need things they are familiar with. You need the chipotles, and the starbucks, and the panera breads. Don't get me wrong I LOVE Coffee Emporium, but outside tourists what the hell is a Coffee Emporium and is the coffee even good? Compared, to them knowing there regular go-to at starbucks.

 

Same goes for retail. I love what's going on with local in house retail scene, but many of these locations are all unknown. When people shop, especially tourists, they want designer brands. They want Zara, H&M, Rolex, Armani, Calvin Klein's, etc.

 

We have to think in the process of, if OTR is going to be a legitimate tourist attraction, or if it's going to be remain something small and local for tourists in the local tri-state region. If it's to be a legitimate attraction you need a balance of things of new things, and old things that people are comfortable and familiar with.

I would bet we will see some Starbucks or Chipotle, etc. at some point, but probably not by 3CDC.  More likely an outside developer who re-develops some buildings or in a newer construction, probably North of Liberty I would guess.